Gingival and Jawbone Grafting Miami

What is Gingival and Jawbone Grafting? A Miami Dentist Answers Your Questions

Teeth may be things we notice most in a beautiful smile, but the jawbones and gums should get more of the credit. To help form a smile that can support rows of beautiful, straight teeth, CG Smile offers gingival and bone grafting for Miami patients. Tissue and bone grafting procedures are typically employed in situations where a patient is seeking to have dental implants placed, but there is not enough healthy jawbone material to support implants.

In this brief article, CG Smile will introduce you to tissue and bone grafting and how these procedures are useful in constructing a beautiful, healthy smile.

How Gingival Grafts Work

Gingival grafts, or "gum grafts," are a type of surgical procedure commonly used in treating gum recession. Gums reproduce cells and heal themselves constantly, but when advanced periodontitis occurs the tissue may not be healthy enough to heal itself along the gum lines. To correct the issue and restore healthy tissue to the areas of the alveolar process and socket, the dentist (or periodontist) may graft tissue from the roof of the mouth or from another section of gum tissue.

The Role of Gums

We often don't think about our gums (until they develop an underlying condition), but the gum tissues play a huge role in maintaining oral health. All the gum tissues combined are referred to as the periodontium. The periodontium features periodontal ligaments and the mucosal membrane, which help the gums adhere to the teeth and jawbone.

How Dental Bone Grafting Works

In most instances, when a bone injury or fracture occurs, the body can heal itself through the reintegration of bone cells. When a jawbone demineralizes, there may not be enough remaining tissue for this process to occur, therefore a bone graft may be required.

When a jawbone graft is conducted, the surgeon or dentist will place a piece of bone in the area where new bone growth is needed. The existing bone material responds to this implant and will begin to ossify (create more bone material) with the implant.

Why Would I Need Dental Tissue or Bone Grafting?

Bone grafting may be necessary to support a dental implant or to restore the jawbone structure. There are numerous circumstances in which a tissue or bone graft may be required. Here are a few of these scenarios:

• Missing teeth. Missing teeth can cause the face to have a "sunken-in" appearance (sometimes referred to as a "collapsed smile."
• Loss of one or more adult teeth. When you lose an adult tooth, it's not just the loss of the tooth that can alter the jawbone structure; tooth loss causes the area of the jawbone to demineralize or resorb, causing a loss of bone matter. If you are looking into dental implants, the dentist may recommend undergoing a bone graft to ensure there is enough bone tissue to support the implant.
• Gum disease. In cases of chronic gum disease (periodontitis), the bacteria actually wear away the ligaments of the gums, teeth, bone, and even the bone material itself. While one missing tooth may not cause a great deal of bone loss, several missing teeth will inevitably take a toll on the health of your jawbone and the supporting tissue.

Visit Your Miami CG Smile Center

If you have receding gums or you have lost several teeth and are concerned about what a "collapsed smile" will do to your appearance, contact CG Smile for a comprehensive smile consultation. We are proud to be your smile center in Miami!